Why to use music in the classroom

    Music is a language that really the world knows and “talks” (I mean sings), so why don’t we use it for teaching purposes, especially when we want to teach a new language, in this case our lovely English Language takes part in the whole next text. Nowadays, most students have an iPod, Mp3 player or, at least, speakers for the computer to listen to their favorite music despite the fact that they don’t necessarily know the songs’ lyrics. If they know or don’t know the lyrics of their favorite songs, this group of students have in common that they like some songs that are popular, so we can use it to introduce any target language or teaching point. I know that the whole class doesn’t like popular songs. However, we would tell them the importance of grammar, pronunciation, lexis, and so on that the songs have, I’m sure they will respond so willing to work, as teachers we always have to keep in mind what there is behind it, of course multiple intelligences should be considered all the time at a classroom (“It's also good for learners who are musically smart” Safaa Mohamed – A friend from a webinar). Let’s back to music, the million dollars question is Why is very important to use music in classroom. There are many reasons; we are going to mention some of them here.

   First, students know a lot of songs in their mother tongue, and in English language too, so they are familiar with rhythm, rhymes, pronunciation, etc. As teachers we can use it as a strong resource to work in target language.

   Students will feel comfortable singing songs in pairs or groups. They will notice that it’s not absolutely important to sing perfect. In this way, they will say the teaching points it out loud. Likewise, we can encourage them to repeat the lyrics like the song or music sounds or is being pronounced, so there is no teacher participation telling them the pronunciation was good or bad, the song will “open” the eyes of the students. 

   Music lets students practice a lot pronunciation. In class, when there is a difficult sound that students cannot pronounce well, teachers can look for a song that has this particular sound and make them practice it a lot.

   Talking about the four language skills speaking, writing, listening and reading (productive and receptive respectively), music can fit in any activity we want to do in order students improve these skills. For instance, teacher can make students write what they listen and read the lyrics they got, then to speak what the song is about. 

   

   Finally, Music is always flexible. Teachers can use it when the class starts, finishes, consolidates or reviews any lesson we teach. Thus, we should not rule out music in class.

    

   By way of conclusion, we could say a thousand reasons why music is very important for teaching English language. Nonetheless, it’s a good idea if we decide a song they like and we like, too. In this way, the whole class will enjoy it. Additionally, even though we could think differently, music helps concentration because of the fact that music makes people (students as well) focus on the meaning of the song, what the song wants to tell them, so it is a good reason to consider music for concentration among others reasons we mentioned.

   

   
   Here we have an example about how to use music in the classroom. In this opportunity, we are going to work with an English group called Coldplay. They provide us a great song Yellow. 

Lesson plan: Procedures for the class:

Stage	Procedure		Tasks	Interaction		Aims	Time
1	Ask a simple question about singers. English Singers they know: Adele, Queen, The Beatles, Editors		Sts only mention English singers they know	T & Sts		Sts will talk about singers.	3’
2	Sts will see the pictures & try to name who the singer is.		Sts see the pictures and try to recognize the artist	T & Sts		Sts say and share what they know about the singer: Chris Martin – Coldplay	3’
3	Sts will quickly read the lyrics and cut them in the form they are before they listen to the song.		Sts have to read the lyrics in their own, then they cut the lyrics in the form they are	T->Sts Small Groups		Sts will see the vocabulary use on the Coldplay’s song.	2´
4	Sts listen to the song and work out in the correct order		Sts listen to the song and try to work out in the correct order	Sts ->Sts		Sts will recognize the lyrics of the song.	3’
5		Sts listen to the song and follow the lyrics	Sts listen carefully the lyrics and sing together with the correct pronunciation		Individual	Sts will be able to pronounce the vocabulary they have in the lyrics		5’

Elicit information about Coldplay: What Students know about Chris Martin an his band Coldplay.

Chris Martin and his wife Gwyneth Paltrow

Yellow by Coldplay

Song Jumble: Cut the lyrics in the form they are. Then, make smalls groups work out the correct order, according to the lyrics.

Here you can listen to the song and order the song jumble

Yellow by Coldplay

Look at the stars

Look how they shine for you

And everything you do

Yeah, they were all yellow
I came along I wrote a song for you

And all the things you do

And it was called 'Yellow'
So then I took my time

Oh what a thing you've done

And it was all yellow
Your skin, oh yeah, your skin and bones

Turn into something beautiful Do you know?

You know I love you so

You know I love you so
I swam across I jumped across for you

Oh what a thing to do 'Cause you were all yellow
I drew a line I drew a line for you

Oh what a thing to do And it was all yellow
Your skin, oh yeah, your skin and bones

Turn into something beautiful Do you know?

For you I bleed myself dry For you I bleed myself dry
It's true Look how they shine for you

Look how they shine for you

Look how they shine for
Look how they shine for you

Look how they shine for you

Look how they shine